Mop or brush



F. H. FRENCH.

MOP 0R BRUSH.

APPLICATION FILED 050.23. l9l9.

Patnted Aug. 2,1921;

//v YEA/TOR. E H. FR urea PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK H. FRENCH, OF PRESTON, IOWA.

MOP OR BRUSH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 2, 1921.

Application filed December 23, 1919. Serial No. 346,943.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK H. FRENCH, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Preston, Jackson county, Iowa, have invented a new and useful Mop or Brush, of which the following is a specificatlon.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved construction for a mop or brush for use in cleaning floors, walls or windows, and more particularly to the class of mops or brushes having oil applied to their fibers so as to render them substantially dustless when in use.

A further object of this invention is to provide improved means for connecting a handle to a brush or mop.

A further object of this invention is to provide improved means for connecting the handle to a brush or mop in such a way that the angle of inclination of said handle may be quickly and easily adjusted or altered at times.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of elements hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a mop or brush embodying my invention, the handle being broken away to economize space. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the same. Fig. 3 is a cross-section, on an enlarged scale, on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of a portion of the handle and one clamping member mounted thereon, illustrating a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a ring forming a part of the brush member and having a laterally projecting tongue to receive attachment to the handle.

In the construction of the device as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 a mop or brush head of any suitable form is provided, comprising generally a plurality of fibers 10 strung or looped over a metal ring 11, a top plate 12 being superposed on the ring 11 and secured in any suitable Way as by rivets 13 to hold the fibers in place. A pivoted disk 14: is provided centrally of the topplate 12 to afford means for introducing oil to the up per portions of the fibers. These elements form no part of my present invention but are illustrated and described in Letters Patent of the United States Number 1,110,766 granted to me September 15, 191 i, and Number 1,113,897 granted to me October 1.3, 191%, over which the present invention is an improvement. i

The metal ring 11 is formed at one side with an integral, laterally extending prong or tongue 15, which is bent upwardly slightly adjacent said ring, as shown in Fig. l. The major portion of the prong or tongue 15 corresponds substantially in width to the diameter of a handle such as 16 adapted to be used with the mop or brush, but preferably is a trifle wider than such di ameter. Clamping members 17, 18 are provided and are adapted to form a detachable connection between the mop or brush and handle 16, which connection also is adjustable. In the embodiment of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the clamping members 17, 18 are integrally connected by a sleeve or ferrule 19 at their upper ends, which sleeve or ferrule is formed with threads 20 adapted to take the threaded end portion of the handle. A bolt 21 is passed through the clamping members 17, 18 below the end of the handle 16 and a thumb nut 22 is mounted thereon. The prong or tongue 15 of the mop or brush is adapted to be received between the clamping members 17, 18 and securely held by tightening the nut 22 on the bolt 21. The clamping members 17, 18 are curved throughout portions of their lengths .to correspond to the curvature of the handle 16 and sleeve or ferrule 19, but the portions thereof farthest from the sleeve or ferrule are flattened on both top and bottom and inclined from above and below toward the longitudinal axis of the handle and sleeve. Each of the clamping members 17, 18 is formed, adjacent is flattened and inclined faces or gins, with an upper groove 23 and a lower groove 24, opening inwardly toward the interior of the clamping device, and the upper and lower grooves of the respective clamping members are in transverse registration. The grooves 23, 2% of the clamping members are inclined relative to the axis of the handle 16 and sleeve 19, and extend to the ends of the clamping members adjacent the mop, that is to say the lower end thereof. Side margins of the prong or tongue 15 of the mop are adapted to be received within the upper grooves 23 or the lower grooves 2a of the clamping members selectively, to preeach other and clamping them on the said tongue or prong. Near their lower ends the clamping members 17, lS'are formed with from each other.

transversely registering holes 25, which holes extend across both of the grooves 23 and 24 of each of said members. The prong or tongue 15 of the mop is formed with lat erally extending lugs 26, 27 adapted to be received within and extend through the holes 25 of the respective clamping members.

Normally the prong or tongue 15 of the mop is received and clamped within the lowermost grooves 24: of-the clamping memhere, as indicated in Fig. 1, and when so mounted the handle 16 extends upwardly at a convenient working angle. Attimes it is desirable to arrange the handle in substantially horizontal position, for convenience in dusting or brushing under low furniture or radiators. In that event the nut 22 is loosened slightly and pressure is applied to the handle to oscillate it relative to the mop or brush, the clamping devices turning on the lugs 26, 27 as pivotsor trunnions and the prong or tongue 15 being caused to enter the uppermost grooves 23 of the clamping mem-' bers. The nut 22 is then tightened and the handle is held in substantially a horizontal position, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. The lugs 26, 27 are long enough, and project suihciently far through the holes 25 of the clamping members, that they remain in said holes duringthis operationo'f ad justment, unless the nut 22 is loosened an undue amount. When it is desired. to re-- move the handle from the mop or brush the nut 22 is loosened sufiiciently so that the clamping members may be sprung apart at their lower ends sufficiently for the lugs 26, 27 to be withdrawn from the holes 25. i

In the construction according to Fig. 4 the connecting sleeve or ferrule 19 is omitted and the clamping members 18 (one only of which is shown) are entirely separate In other respects their shape and construction is exactly like that previously described. In this construction the handle 16 extends relatively farther into the clamping devices and the bolt 21' extends therethrough, thus providing a means to connect the handle to the clamping members, in lieu of the screw connection of the other form.

The provision of two sets of grooves, 23 and 24, in the clamping members, renders it unnecessary to detach the handle" and clamping devices from the mop or brush when it is desired to adjust or alter the inclination of the handle, or to invert said members relative to the mop or brush, as in my former inventions above referred to.

I claim as my invention- 1. I11 a brush or mop, a brush member, a tongue mounted on and extending laterally from said member, a handle, a pair of clamp members adapted laterally to engage opposite sides of the handle, said clamp members having opposed inwardly opening grooves arranged angularly with respect to the axis of the handle, said grooves adapted to engage side margins of said tongue, said clamp members being formed with holes, lugs on side margins of said tongue adapted to ex tend through said holes, and means for .forcing the clamp members toward said tongue. 2. In a brush or mop, a brush member, a tongue mounted on and extending laterally from said-member, a handle, a pair of clamp members adapted laterally to engage opposite sides otsaid handle, each of said clamp members being formed with a plurality of inwardly opening grooves adapted selectively to engage side margins of said tongue, said grooves being arranged angularly with respect to the handle, and means for forcing the clamp members toward said tongue.

I 3. In a brush or mop, abrush member, a tongue mounted onand extending laterally from said member, a handle, a pair of clamp members adapted laterally to engage oppo site sides of said handle, each of said clamp members being formed with a plurality of inwardly opening grooves adapted selectively to engage side margins of said tongue, said grooves being angularly arranged with respect to the handle and. oppositely in clined relative to the axis thereof and intersecting at one end of said clamp members,

,memb'ers adapted laterally to engage opposite"sides of said handle, each of said clamp members being formed with a pair of inwardly opening grooves adapted selectively to engage side margins of said tongue, said grooves being angularly arranged with respect to the handle and oppositely inclined relative to the axis thereof and intersecting near one end of said clamp members, said clamp members being formed with holes ad jacent the intersection of said grooves and opening to bothof said grooves, said tongue being formed with lugs adapted to enter said holes, and means for forcing the clamp members toward sa'id tongue.

Signed at Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of'IoWa, this 5th day of December, 1919. V

FRANK H, FRENCH. 

